Missouri Voters Demonstrate Trust in Local Government at the Polls

(Jefferson City, Missouri) Local government is closest to the people. On Tuesday, Missouri voters demonstrated their support for government closest to the people with widespread approval of local ballot issues to keep their communities strong and vibrant.

Local election results gathered by the Missouri Municipal League (MML), the Missouri School Boards’ Association (MSBA) and the Missouri Association of Counties (MAC) showed voters overwhelmingly supported various city, county and school ballot proposals. These three organizations are allied in the Missouri Local Leaders Partnership (MoLLP), together representing more than 9,000 local leaders across the state.

“Citizens across the state placed their trust in municipal government by approving continued tax authority and authorizing bonds for capital improvement projects,” said Dan Ross, executive director of MML. “The real winners from Tuesday’s elections are the citizens, who demonstrated continued confidence in their local government to deliver the products and services citizens want and need.”

“The vast majority of proposals put forth by counties were approved by voters on Tuesday,” said Dick Burke, executive director of MAC. “We are very pleased to see the trust that voters put in their local governments' accountability and stewardship of taxpayer resources.”

One issue receiving resounding support was the continuation of various cities’ motor vehicle sales tax. Voters need to approve continuing this local tax by November 2016 in order to keep a level playing field for local dealerships. For example, without the continued tax, a consumer can cross state lines to purchase a vehicle out of state after November, thereby avoiding the local sales tax and keeping money away from their local community.

More than 100 cities placed this on the ballot and were authorized by voters to continue this tax. At this time, only one city is known to have rejected the tax continuation.

Another major issue passed for the state’s two largest cities. Both St. Louis and Kansas City voters supported the continuation of their local earnings tax for another five years, despite well-funded opposition by wealthy retired St. Louis investor Rex Sinquefield. The earnings taxes account for large portions of general revenues for St. Louis and Kansas City. In Kansas City, the earnings tax was reauthorized with 77 percent of the vote, and in St. Louis, there was 72 percent support for the measure.

“Once again local voters throughout the state have shown a commitment to providing students with a high-quality education,” said Melissa Randol, executive director of MSBA. “I’m proud to be part of a state that supports strong local schools and communities.”

Ross says local government leaders can now continue doing what they have always done: serving their neighbors while being good stewards of the tax dollars entrusted to benefit cities, schools and counties.

The Missouri Local Leaders Partnership is a powerful united voice of elected local leaders closest to the communities where Missourians live, work, raise families and contribute to our state’s progress and quality of life. MoLLP is built on support of common priorities and principles that together provide a constructive vision for the communities served by more than 9,000 elected members statewide. These principles include: